Apparatus for cleaning the outside of boiler tubes



F. KOBER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE OUTSIDE OF BOILER TUBES Filed March 22 .1921

INVENTOR:

Patented July 17, 1923.

UNHTED stares NT @FFlQE.

P A T Q1.

FRITZ KOBIER, or SUI-IL, GERMANY.

Application filed March 22, 1921. Serial No. 454,498.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT F MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ KoBER, engineer, a citizen of the German Republic, residing at Suhl, 3 Dombergsweg, Germany,

5 have invented new and useful Apparatus for Cleaning the Outside of Boiler Tubes (for which I have filed applications in Germany, April 12, 1914, No. 286,186; Sweden, June 21, 1920, No. 51,062; France, June 22, 1920,

No. 517,582; Belgium, June 22, 1920, No. 287,757 German Austria, March 26, 1915, No. 74,1 16; Czechoslovakian Republic, September 80, 1919, No. 448; and Hungary, March 26, 1919, No. 69,104), of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is a device particularly intended for cleaning scale from tubes, for instance the fire tubes of the boilers of portable engines or locomotives.

20 The usual apparatus for chipping 01f scale can only be used for cleaning fire tubes so far as the tubes are readily accessible; the tube surfaces in the middle of a bundle of tubes cannot be reached with such chipping tools. It has already been proposed to emloy bands or, chains provided with toothike projections, which are passed around the tubes and then drawn to and fro by hand. Such tools enable even those tubes which are not readily accessible to be cleaned. The subject of the invention differs from these devices in the fact that the chain or band is made endless, and is fitted with a driving mechanism contained within a readily portable casing fitted with handles.

Figure 1 shows an elevation of the apparatus partly in section and in working position.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the apparatus.

Figu

res 3, 1 and 5 show various constructions of the endless chain or endless band.

The chain 1 is passed around the tube 2 to be cleaned and its ends are joined to make it endless by means of a readily detachable connection 3. In order that it may be driven the chain runs over a chain wheel 1 on the shaft 5 of which is secured a worm wheel 6 driven by a worm 7 Revolution of the worm 7 may be brought about by means of a flexible shaft connecting it with a mo tor. The casing 8 of the device is provided with handles 9 in order that it may be held during operation. If now the chain is set in motion it slides over the surface of the tube and its projections or roughnesses remove the scale upon the tube. As the scale is gradually removed the operator shifts the device lengthwise along the tube to be cleaned; thus the handling of the apparatus is exceedingly simple and easy. -By letting the chain slack, or drawing it tight, its scraping effect can be weakened or strengthened.

The endless chain may obviously be driven in any other suitable fashion.

The construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 involving a worm drive is suitable if the source of power (for instance an electric motor) rotates at very high speed.

In order that the scale may be removed from the tube it is necessary that the chain should be roughened to exert a scraping effect. The linksof the chain may, for instance, be provided with sharp-edged projections 10, as shown in Figure 3. Or the links may have a plurality of teeth 11 as shown in Figure 4:- Or again, there may be scrapers of sheet metal. A suitable construction of this sort involves the use of a belt 12 (Figure 5) upon which separate sheet metal pieces 13 are arranged in order and fastened to the belt in any suitable fashion, for instance by means of rivets 14.

, What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning the exterior of boiler tubes, comprising a portable operating mechanism, and an endless band or chain having cleaning tools and operated by said mechanism, said band or chain being adapted to be passed around the tube to be cleaned.

2. An apparatus for cleaning the exterior of boiler tubes, comprising a portable casing provided with handles and having a power driven wheel mounted therein, and an endless cable providedwith scraping devices and passing around said wheel and out through the casing, said cable being adapted to be passed around the tube to be cleaned, whereby the endless cable can be caused to travel around the tube, readily shifted along the tube, and tightened or slackened to increase or decrease its scraping effect.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRITZ KOBER. Witnesses:

PAUL UNGER, LUxov M. ALLEMY. 

